The ICW - July 30, 2007 -
Today my husband and 2 oldest are bringing Das Boot along the ICW (Intra-coastal Waterway) to it’s new home in….another harbour. It is a long trip, and I totally regret my decision not to go. It would have been a beautiful sail. The dog….she must pee during the day, and I was not sure she could hold it for that long. So here I sit.
In the boats new home, she will be hauled out and have her hull cleaned, sanded and repainted. She will also have her rudder worked on. It is anticipated she will be out on blockes for 10 days to 2 weeks.
So, the weekend came and went. Did we make any decisions? Why yes, we did. The boat haul was one of them. We also decided I need to hit the pavement this week with a real estate agent and go see every available house in our price range. That is as far as we made it in the decision category.
We also decided we needed to go to the beach. We packed a cooler and I slipped in a couple of Tecates. Does this sound like avoidance behavior to you, because it crossed our minds as such.
The boys met some kids on the beach that had a huge net, and they would go out, scoop up the sargasm grass floating in the water, and bring it back to shore to sift through it. They found some amasing creatures. A large sargasm fish, seahorses, pipefish, gobies, sargasm shrimp and other little reef fish. They put them in a big bucket and observed their catch for a bit, then released all unharmed.
I took a grand total of 3 pictures all day. I was too busy participating in the day and by the time I remembered my camera, the boys had released all the creatures, had surfed, and were winding down.
I did find a $20 bill floating in the water. It waved around saying “Hi! Come get me. I will pay for some good, cheap Mexican food for you and your family tonight.” So I reached down and grabbed it, completely thinking it was not a real bill. Happily it was, and it treated us to some excellent mexican food at our favorite little hole in the wall.
And now I must stop this procrastinating and call the real estate agent we have been referred to. I may be out of pocket for a bit, so here, have a random photo of grocery carts to keep you busy:
I have no idea how they got like that or why. I suspect it has something to do with the crop circles.
We have hit some snags - July 27, 2007 -
And they are very large snags.
A. It seems that with lots of rain, the main road that my husband must take part of to get to work, well, it gets a bit wet. Like in real wet. Like, buried in wet. Non-passable wet.
B. We have to move the boat from the marina we are in (lthere is a long waiting list and buying a boat that is in said marina does not grant you a slip) and there is not one available here at the moment…..and may not be for almost 6 months.
C. A house here costs 3 times the amount of our house back home. We have looked and looked until the looking was becoming increasingly frustrating. Example: an 800sq foot house with 2 bedrooms for $250,000. Um…yeah. Not.
These are not hurdles that cannot be jumped…..we just are having to jump higher than we thought, and to be quite honest, snag “A” is a biggie. The man. He must be able to get to work, savvy? And the boat. It must be in water and in a place where we have access to it if we move here. I mean, it would be a bummer to move here and have to keep the boat 2 hours away.
And that pesky issue about affordable housing.
Me? I am good to go in the trailer, although I would like to move to a less crowded RV park. This one is very lovely, but I a finding that I want some elbow room.
But! Then we go to eat at the diner and the boating family is there (they own it) and I get to meet the mom. She is wonderful, and so gracious. Bill got to meet them, and they would like to have us over to their house in the next few days. She told me all about living aboard with the kids, and I cant wait to hear more.
Prior to going to meet them, we had decided it was time to hang it up, officially put a close to our summer here and head back home. Now we are re-thinking that plan.
Back and forth…ping, pong. Ping, pong.
Bill and I have agreed that we will make a decision by the end of the weekend. Famous last words.
Wish us luck.
Dude - July 26, 2007 -
Dude, I have such a cool story to tell.
It’s all about synchronicity.
We went flip flop shopping, and ended up in a remote surf shop here. After shopping, the kids were starving, so we decided to walk to the diner across the street.
There were pictures of children on a sail boat all over the walls of the diner. One of a little girl holding up a huge lobster. Another of the boat anchored in some tropical harbour, several children sitting on deck. Photo after photo of these beautiful, blond children on a sailboat. Swimming in azure water. Fishing. Holding up shells.
I was mesmerized.
As I paid for our lunch, I asked the man at the register who the children were, and he responded “They are mine”.
He went on to tell me that they have been traveling on their sailboat down to Cozumel, Isla Mujeres , Belize and Guatemala since their oldest daughter was 8 months old. Each trip they spend a year or more.
They have 4 kids, ages 16, 13, 6 and 3…..three of which are the same ages of Cory, Quinn and Mia.
As it turns out, the man’s parents are friends with Bill’s parents. Small world, eh?
I hope that in the coming weeks we can get to know this family and hear their tales of sailing around the caribbean with their 4 children.
I mean, come on now….what is the chance of meeting, in this town, a family who sail long term with their 4 kids to the caribbean. I’m telling you, there are no coincidences.
So, it is raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining. The sound of the rain on the roof of the trailer is mind numbing. I can’t decide whether to drink some rum or build an ark.
Rum it is.
My heart - July 23, 2007 -
I am sorry. I know. No updates. Just a song post. What good am I?
The fact is, I am diving head first into life here, and just have not had much time to post.
I made some changes to the site, and will continue to tweek and mess with themes until I am where I want to be…which is less cluttered, less ad filled, and highlighting my photos better.
A quick update on our moving status would reveal that:
*My friends are not AT ALL thinking we should move. This is evidence by:
-one of them giving me a royal ass-chewing, telling me I have no idea what living at the coast is like (ahem, I have lived there most of my adult life, and Bill is a 5th generation Galvestonian…yes, we are clueless about coastal life) and proceeded to tell me that “go ahead, move there. But you will be changing your tone when Mia comes home with a boyfriend named Thomas Chung (a referrence to the Vietnamese presence here). I wish that I was not the slow responder that I am, because later I came up with the perfect comeback…..”Well, there would be some synchronicity to that, since Mia was almost Chinese! (Remember, we were in the beginning stages of adopting a little girl from China when I got pregnant with her)
*and numerous other lectures from some.
*and from others, loving, well intended advice.
*and from some, happiness for us, and unconditional acceptance of our choices
Please, may I take a moment to speak to those I love who question our decision, if it be to move (yes, IRL people from our hometown read my blog. Hi girls!!) I am a 42yo adult, and my husband turns 50 this year…..not exactly immature, impulsive people. We have had these kids for awhile now, and might be pretty damn qualified at knowing what is best for our family.
Yes, emotion is playing a part in this decision. But there are a whole host of other things that are playing in and weighing on our minds….things that are private and we will not be discussing with anyone, save for Bill’s parents.
When making any huge decision, Bill and I put a tremendous amount of faith in God. God is the Captain of our family. He has done an incredible job of navigating our life thus far, and He speaks to us quite loudly….we hear him because we have learned to listen to him. Sometimes he slams doors shut, and sometimes he opens them wide. I can always look back at our life and see that God was in control and we were just along for the ride. He has always had something great in store for us, no matter how difficult the journey in getting us there, and we have learned to lay back and enjoy the ride.
I hear God in my heart, not my mind.
If I were to use my human mind for every decision I made, half of my life would have never happened…..including the amazing gift, from God, of our 4th child.
If I had used my mind when my husband, after one year of living in the small town where we live now, was so desperate to move to Llano, I would have dug my heals in and said no. Instead, I prayed, and the answer in my heart said to submit to my husband. I did, and angrily went. My husband found Christ there.
God speaks to me through my heart.
I am not unhappy with my life. I love my friends, my town, my home. If we move, it has nothing to do with any of those things. It is because we are amazed and grateful that God has given us the gift of time together, and we are going to make the most of that gift.
We are doing this because we are happy. We are together. Please be happy for us.
Last year I almost lost my best friend, and my children almost lost their father. Instead, by the Grace of God, he is here with us, and we are not taking one moment of life for granted. God gave us the gift of a glimpse. A glimpse into how fast life can come to a screaching halt. God tenderly nursed my husband back to health, and through it all, He held my heart in His hand.
My heart is His.
And He speaks to me through my heart…….so it is with my heart that I chose to think.
The children you see above? No one will ever love them the way Bill and I do. No one. So far, we think we have done a fantastic job of making them feel loved and secure. They have parents that adore each other. They have parents who take the time to show and teach them new and amazing things. And you know what? They are wonderfully delightful children, even if they grow up on the coast.
The same coast that their father spent his first 40 years living on. The same coast that their grandfather, and his father before him grew up. The same coast that Bill’s grandmother, and her mother, and her mother before her grew up. And guess what? They all had teeth. The all held jobs. In fact, his father and grandfather were both doctors. Cardiologists. His mother is a med tech. Bill himself attended public school in Galveston and went on to be a PA who graduated in the top of his class. He took Anatomy and Physiology right along side the medical students and finished with the highest grade in the class. Even coasties can be well educated.
I appreciate all the advice and concern. I know that it comes from a deep love for our kids and for us. It is that love that pulls at our hearts and makes us hesitant about moving.
In the end though, if we move, I know that my true friendships will endure.
My heart tells me this, so you know what? I chose to think with my heart.
Nothing remains quite the same - July 23, 2007 -
So many nights I just dream of the ocean…
God, I wish I was sailin’ again.
Oh, yesterday’s over my shoulder,
So I can’t look back for too long.
There’s just too much to see waiting in front of me,
And I know that I just can’t go wrong.
Ocean blue - July 21, 2007 -
Sailing was awesome today. The wind was just perfect. It wasn’t too hot. Animals of all kinds were out, and we had dolphin escort us home.
I took a ton of photos…….too many to post here, so head on over to Flickr if you would like to see the rest.
Surfing the waves, and our escort on our return
Yes, this is a Lego on the boat. You can not escape the dreaded Legos.
Checking out the jib
Quinn and Mia
Cabbage head jellyfish
Brown pelican
And a Sea Nymph
New URL - July 18, 2007 -
Hey guys. I have changed the URL to my site, and it is now: www.andbabymakes6.com
You can still have access to the blog via the old URL (www.jody2ms.com) because it is being automatically redirected, but if you could update your blogrolls with the new addy, that would be great. (Also updating your feed reader, be it Bloglines, Google etc…just click on the buttons to the left for your respective feed reader).
If you don’t have a Bluehost hosted website, get one. Those folks are awesome helpful, and make blogging life a breeze.
Sunset on the bay - July 17, 2007 -
I have been on a mini-weekend with some friends……on another bay along the Texas coast.
I do believe that the sun, in all of its vain glory, puts on a show for us when it tucks itself in behind the bay.
What do you think?
There is nowhere else I would rather be than right next to this guy - July 12, 2007 -
In the crook of the stern, sailing.
It actually does something other than sit at the dock - July 10, 2007 -
We took the boat out. We motored, as the winds were way, way to strong to hoist sails.
I will be posting some video later, if I can get it to upload…grrrr.
For now, a couple of shots…and of course, the rest are up at Flickr so click through one of the pics to see the rest.
A white pelican
Cory at the helm
Miss Mimi at the helm
Watching for dolphins
Rail weight
Captain, my Captain
The ever important “back to dock” festivities…including rum, because after being out on the bay with 4 kids scrambling around the deck, we needed it.
Miss Mia…..post excursion happiness
Now if I can just get the videos to load in less than 12 hours of download time.
Sirens - July 9, 2007 -
To say my kids are sheltered is an understatement.
The town we are from is as Norman Rockwell as it can get. Not just in its picturesque setting, but the whole attitude and lifestyle. There is almost no crime, and on the rare occasion that you have to call the police, they are there in 20 seconds, because, heck, they have nothing better to do. Every now and then, they exercise the sirens on their police cars by leading a parade, and the town gathers at the Main Street upon hearing them.
The big city scares my children. Literally. They are on edge when we venture into heavy traffic. Going to the movie the other night, and taking Quinn to the pediatrician had us in ‘the Big City” and they were very happy to come home to the tranquility of the trailer.
This morning, as I sat outside drinking my morning java, and catching up on my e-mails, we heard some sirens in the distance, heading toward some unknown emergency. As they got closer, and louder, my daughter turned to me and said “Hey! It’s a parade!”
After all, where we are from, a police siren signals the start of a parade.
How do I validate moving my children from this serenity. How do I take them from Mayberry, and place them into a world full of drugs, gangs, hate and violence.
I know that it is real life. I know that the real world is not a constant parade down Main Street. I know that one day they will be thrust upon it and will have to make their own choices and overcome their fears of the outside world.
This is weighing heavily on us in our decision about moving, and that is why I have left you all hanging, awaiting our decision. The fact is, we have not made a decision yet. We are really taking things slow, living here and getting a feel for the area. There will be no rush, and it may not be until August before we decide. We are talking to our friends, our families, and are allowing for input from others, but ultimately we will have to do what is best for our family as a whole. Not just what is best for the kids, but what is best for Bill and I as well……which might rub some the wrong way.
While talking with Bill this morning, I said something that surprised even me. I told him that the thought of going home, and going through day after day of having nothing to do, no ocean in sight……just the image of that Groundhog day feeling……has me wanting to walk up to a wall and bang my head repeatedly against it. That has to be important, right?
So, we sit. And we toss things back and forth like we are in some perpetuall tennis match.
And my daughter rides her tricycle around the campsite, with the bay as her backdrop.
And my boys play together like the best of friends.
And Cory quit chewing on his cuticles…….for years they have always look raw and frayed, but yesterday Bill said “Look….he stopped” and I saw that the nervous habit was gone, and the fingers I remember him having as a baby were back. Hoisting sails, scrubbing hulls, fishing, and riding his bike in a Flipperesque setting leave little time for cuticle picking.
And we are together and happy.
And in the end, that is really all that matters.
She has a head like a pin - July 6, 2007 -
Yah! The internet. It is back. And now I can post about the bug man, and the child hater next door to us.
The guy that fogs for mosquitos came to our little park today. He took us by surprise, and proceeded to drive by, spraying the mass amounts of bug fog ALL THE HELL over us. He then drove around the corner and I watched in horror as he drove by a little girl riding her bike and DID NOT STOP THE BUG FOGGER, enveloping her in a cloud of poison. She came out the other side coughing, sputtering and rubbing her eyes.
After talking with her and confirming she was okay, I stood at the edge of our drive shaking my head, and the lady next door walked out. Stupid me, thinking she was just as agast that the bug man did not stop spraying the POISON when he saw the little girl, began to share with her my disgust.
This is what she said to me, and I am not kidding. She said “Well, you can’t blame him. It is the parents fault. They should be watching their child and not letting her ride her bike like that….but they were not, so it is their fault.”
After I picked my bottom jaw up off the floor, I said, “You can’t be serious. He should have stopped his truck and the fogger when he saw her. This is a family park, and the children are playing. He directly sprayed her with poison. We parents are not psychic, and had no idea that the mosquito Terminator was coming.
And she replied “Well, now you know”.
At that point, I went to the trailer, got a can of Raid, returned to her, sprayed her in the face and said “Sorry, but that was your fault. You should have seen it coming.”
Okay, so that didn’t happen. But it briefly crossed my mind.
What I did was shake my head, turn and walk away.
My Dad used to call people like that Pinheads.
So that is what she will be called henceforth in my future writings. Pinhead.
I am hoping Pinhead leaves after this weekend, but that may not happen since she and her family have laid claim to “The Spots Under the Trees” and in her words have “always had these 3 spots for the last 20 years, so I am not sure how you ended up with one of them”.
The wonderful thing is, the people on our other side are fantastic. They are adorable, wonderful and I want them to never leave. They are angels.
They show me that there are at least 2 wonderful, kind people for each of the Pinheads in the world.
Yeah! More bullet points from the dark side!!!!!! - July 6, 2007 -
This is a blow and go post. Internet connection is down, and I have to haul the ‘puter down to the bayfront (poor me) to get a connection. It is hard with 4 kids to do that, so instead I am lazy and completing the withdrawls from 3 days without connection. I am now quite used to being internetless, and that scares me.
Some bullet points……
*Quinn had pneumonia. We avoided the hospital, but it was very, very worrisome. He is doing much better and actually went for a swim today.
*I got a strep infection in my foot and am on antibiotics. Yes, the very same flesh eating strep you have all heard about. I will keep my foot, so the kids are bummed that I won’t get a peg leg like Davy Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean. (no, it was not that bad….just a small open, ulcerated, oozing, wound the size of a quarter…or nickel accompanied by joint pain and fever.) Thankfully the antibiotics are working quite well.
*South Texas almost floated away. The rain….holy cow, the rain. It fell in sheets so hard it was unreal……for days. We have now discovered all of the leaks in the trailer, and since the sun is now shining, tomorrow will be “Plug the Leak’s” day. It was quite fun having a river in the bunk room…for the boys at least. Not so much for me.
*The dog chewed through the septic hose outside, so when I went to dump…..well, you get the picture. It was a very very small amount that got out before I discovered it, but I am fairly confident that I got the strep infection wading around in the flooding water tainted with gack.
*Thank you for all the comments, encouragement etc about our possible move.. We are still discussing it, but leaning heavily this way.
Kathy…..You must always have rum on hand. NEVER, EVER run out of rum. Savvy? ;*)
Decisions - July 3, 2007 -
We are having a good time.
How good of a time you might ask?
Well, a good enough time to say that we might be, very likely, most certainly, maybe, (oh my God are we talking about this????) probably that we might live here……….in the trailer for now……………..Kathy, please, pinch me…………could this be the most selfish thing I could ever do? It has been a hand wringing kind of day.
It is a bit scary………..because it is not just about me or Bill, but about 4 other incredible human beings.
Dad??????????? Some wisdom please, because I am running on my emotions here and could really use your opinion…..even though I am aware that you are worshipping and singing praises and what have in heaven…..I mean, don’t you have time for me anymore????? ;*)
Goodnight, sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite (which is how my dad always said goodnight to me)……………more manana.
Disclaimer: rum might have been involved in the production of this post.
